Episcopal Relief and Development celebrates International Women’s Day, today, March 8. The day recognizes the collective challenges, achievements, and milestones for women in the struggle for equality, justice, and peace for all women worldwide. As goal three of the eight Millennium Development Goals, ERD’s sustainable community development programs around the world promote gender equality and empower women. In countries such as Honduras, India, Zambia, and Burundi, ERD’s programs work with communities worldwide to lift women and girls out of poverty.

A partnership between ERD and the Diocese of Honduras is supporting 125 Garifuna women who are part of a breadmaking cooperative in Teguigalpa and San Pedro Sula. The Garifuna, an Afro-Caribbean ethnic group, traditionally live on the northern coast of Honduras and often face marginalization and discrimination. The partnership is providing the women with support such as production and business training as well as uniforms. The group currently sells fresh breads at kiosks in two cities.

ERD is also working with the Church of South India on a long-term rehabilitation program rebuilding communities devastated by the 2004 tsunami. “After the tsunami hit, the church was faced with an incredible reality- hundreds of children had been orphaned and while the boys found a home, girls were waiting to be seen, heard, adopted, and taken in by someone,” said Dr. Pauline Sathiamurthy, Provincial Secretary of the Church of South India. “This struck me as a big challenge the church had to face. If the girl child wasn’t taken in and protected, she’d be swallowed up by social evils such as child trafficking and begging,” said Sathiamurthy. Through a partnership with ERD, the Church of South India took in 300 children—200 girls and 100 boys—who are in three church hostels. The children are given shelter, food, clothing, health care, education, and skills training.

In Burundi, where the prevalence rate of HIV is 6% and women are more vulnerable to the disease, ERD and the Church of Burundi are working with support groups for people living with HIV/AIDS. The program also provides awareness, education, and care for children left orphaned by the disease.  The support group offers participants business training, microcredit loans, counseling, and psychological support so they can earn an income to support themselves and their children. “Health is directly linked to poverty and many preventable diseases could be avoided by educating women about them,” said Claudette Kigeme, a Mothers’ Union provincial worker with the Church of Burundi.

Sathiamurthy and Kigeme are just two of ERD program partners visiting New York City as part of the Anglican delegation of women attending the 50th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. The UNCSW began February 27th and concludes March 10. On February 28th, ERD sponsored a roundtable discussion titled, “Where We Stand Now: Enhancing Anglican Women’s Participation in Development.” The panel discussion featured Sathiamurthy and Kigeme as well as Sizakele Shongwe from the Diocese of Cape Town and Joycelyn Tengatenga from the Diocese of Southern Malawi. Panelists along with fellow Anglican delegates spoke on the successes and challenges of providing education, employment, income generation opportunities, and health care to women in their respective countries.

“The integrated community development approach of ERD’s work offers an opportunity for issues of gender equality to be at the forefront of all program initiatives,” said Janis Rosheuvel, ERD’s Program Associate for Africa. “International Women’s Day allows us a time to pause for reflection on our aims and renew our commitment to ensuring gender equity,” said Rosheuvel.

For more information on ERD’s programs worldwide, please visit http://www.er-d.org/.